Allegany State Park

[Tim]

It's 65,000 acres in South Western New York. Has hiking, cross country skiing, mountain biking, fishing, swimming, camping, cabins, old growth forest, two firetowers, bear, rattle snakes, lean-tos, the whole deal, it's a great substitute for the Adirondack Park when you work a lot like I do and can't make the 250 mile trip north.

[redhawk]

The minute you said rattlesnakes you assured yourself theat Wildernessphoto won't be hiking there!

[Tim]

I've never run into any rattlers Redhawk, but they are around. There is also a ghost town there. Used to be called New Ireland. Just stone foundations left, got pictures around here someplace. It's a nice walk back to the location.

[steve40]

Been there just once and found it to be a great place,excellent trails for hiking.Need to get back there this year.

[Ryan C-Chris]

I love Allegany, I have alot of fond memories from there. My parents have been taking me since I was only 1yr. old and I still make it back at least once a year. I also have never seen any rattlers around the park, but I would like to see one sometime...just not too close up

[Wildernessphoto]

The minute you said rattlesnakes you assured yourself theat Wildernessphoto won't be hiking there!

O' Contraire Sir Hawk! I was raised in Belmont, NY. Allegany and Letchworth were the places to be in western NY.
-Gary-

[marzrw]

We were there last year in May. It is an excellent park. Our son was graduating from Alfred, we went out a couple of days early and went there for the day. Miles of hiking trails, miles of trout streams. One stream ran into a lake and was very fishy looking. Luckily my son and I just happened to have our flyrods available and managed to catch a brown, a rainbow and a brookie. Doesn't get any better than that. I would definitely go back. We wish we had gone earlier on in his years at Alfred.
Letchworth is real neat too with the nice falls. We saw it when it was raging, pretty awesome. There are a few other nice parks out that way also.

[backpackingduo]

Ahhh Allegany

Heading there myself this weekend for a 5 day stay. Great place to hike and spot wildlife. Seen bears but never seen a rattlesnake.

[Peebut]

Hey now thats my stomping ground. I've seen plenty of bear, some closer than others. Though I've never seen a rattler I've heard tales of them. If your at the State Park you need to check out the ANF in PA. Its just across the border but its much more impressive than the park. ASP is becoming very overcrowded. People everywhere in the summer. The best time is the winter.

[Grandpa Paddler]

If your at the State Park you need to check out the ANF in PA. Its just across the border but its much more impressive than the park. ASP is becoming very overcrowded. People everywhere in the summer. The best time is the winter.

I pretty much agree with Peebut regarding ANF, but the campgrounds there are also pretty busy during summer weekends. Less crowded midweek and really nice in the fall. Some decent trails in ANF for those that are into backpacking. Fishing the resevoir is decent, not as good as 30 years ago, but still worth the time. Willow Bay area is a no wake area so paddling isn't bad.

BTW Peebut, where did you stomp from?

[Peebut]

Silver Creek. Right on Lake Erie just north of Fredonia, and yourself.

[Tim]

The park will clear right out after Labor day, Monday through Friday you can have the place to yourself. It's great there in the fall. Was born in Silver Creek, lived there until 1965, family camped at ASP often from the 1940's until 1960's. Bear were all over the place in those days, the park had a dump in there near the old Bova Ski area and the bear really liked the garbage, they came from far and wide to sample the cuisine in that old dump.